Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-11-22

to be reinforced from the vampa or by
wounded comrades who might, also, at any
moment, recover strength sufficient TO rejoin
the fray.
Suddenly Matteo shouted
"Come on, my menl Thoy are only two or
three; aud the fewer we are, in the end, tho
larger each mans share OF that treasure,
Drop bullets and take to your lmivesm
zone moro volleyln cried Nobbitt, as he
fired his last cartridge, and down fell an
other of the ASSISTANTS. Then grip for your
| ,ivesrn
With that no mado flying leap over the
little sand barricado which they had raised
and flung himself full and straight at
Matteo's throat which no seized like vice
IN the grip Of his steoly fingers. The giant
stumbled backward AMI raised his sharp
lInifo to drive 1t up to tho handle in the
back Of tho American; but the lnttor, by
sudden, strong, upward movement OF his
arm, oleverly turned the blow aside and it
fell harmlessly in air. Concentrating all his
nerYe-born strength in one superhuman
effort, Nebbltt actually dashed this Goliath
TO the ground, where the two rolled over and
over and over again In their awful strugglesi
now one above, now the other But his enor-
nous physical strength and will threw the
odds fearfully on the side Of Matteo; for
when he fell he had dropped his knife, and
was now gripping the American in his long,
powerful arms, whose muscles Of iron slow
ly and rclentlessly closed about tho chest
of his adversary, until it seemed to Ncbbitt
es II his ribs were crunching and cracking
and his very life being crushed out in that
awful hug Of death. Fortunately, his arms
were outside. Putting both hands against
the chin of the Italian, he suddenly and
sharply jerlsed the mans head upward and
backward. Taken at unawares, Matteo, to
save his neck from beng broken, relaxed
his grip for a moment
Quick as o fash of lightning his an
tagonist, who was beneath, rolled the giant
over, leaped to his feet, and, grasping the
knife lying close by, plunged it into the
heart of Haydee's murderer, who was
struggling to his feet, but so awful was the
force Of tho blow that the blade drove clear
through the mans lungs and passed out be-
tween his shoulders and, without so much as
q groan, Matteo fell back, stone deGdi
All this happened in far less time than Il
takes to read about 1t, but not moment too
quickly. For when Nebbitt, breathless and
aching from the crushing grip of his foe,
gOL, was tudbLCu W TURN
his attention to the others, he saw Oxford
engaged In deadly contest with three men
whom he was holding at bay with his rifle,
which he grasped by the muzzle as he would
o club, and was whirling about him with
such lightning-lil1e rapidity that it looked
like the flying spokes Of a swiftly-revolving
wheel. He had already Drained two Of his
Bssailants.
Dana and Arthur Fairfax, back to back.
the one swinging his rife Justify and the
other welding keen sword in his unin-
jured right hand, were fighting desperately
with four of the Italians, while q huge
rufiian was decidedly worsting poor Roger,
who was bravely trying to defend himself.
Ere Nebbtt could reach him, Roger
groaned deeply, and, suddenly relaxing his
hold on the other, fell backward as if dead.
The Italian raised his knife to strike the
PROSTATE man, but Nebbitt had already
picked up the Wallets rife, with which he
dealt the villain such terrific blow on the
head that the seaman dropped to the earth
like log.
The victor then sprang to the side Of Ok
ford, splendidly holding his own against
those three swarthy opponents, who did not |
dare come within range Of that lightning |
swinging rifle, but hung aloof, watching for |
a chance to spring upon the Englishman. |
None too soon was this timely aid; for, de- |
spairing Of firing their adversary, one Of |
tho men stepped backward and, STOPPING |
quickly down, picked up a pistol, which he |
was just about to fire at Oxford, when Neb- |
bItt, with q most awful, bood-curdling yell |
that pierced far into the night and must |
have greatly terrified those who remained |
nY4 ha hottnInl o,.I ,,,ith t,-,
mendous leap and brought down the rifle |
butt squarely upon top Of the mans head |
with such resistless impetus that 1t crashed |
through bone and brain and literally split |
open his skull from top to bottom, driving |
the vertebre Of his neck down into his body, |
so that, completely collapsed, he was |
crushed to the earth as if by the mighty |
hammer of pile-driver, while Nebbitt felt |
the rapid bullet from his discharging pistol |
burn his own cheek like hot iron.
Although he could have done so more than |
once, Arthur Fairfax refrained from trans
fixing either OF his two mon, as he would, |
then, lose his sword and thus be weaponless |
against the other. However, nerved to des- |
peration by that frlghtful yell of Nebbitt, |
he made hasty lunge forward and passed |
the blade completely through tho larger fell |
INV bhOus HuiSh 10 u htouf hNA ACh OuNNdlh |
with his left foot, suddenly tripping up the |
other, who fell sprawling to the ground. |
Before the man could spring 10 his feet, |
Fairfax whipped out his revolver and shot |
him through the head.
The remaining four Italians, finding them |
selves now outnumbered, turned and fed |
towards their boats. Just as Fairfax was |
crying out: "Let them go Don't follow |
theml" one of the desperadoes unexpected |
ly turned and fired his pistol. With sharp |
cry, Dana dropped to the ground.
The eye Of Fairfax flashed fire and he |
dashed forward after the fleeing man, draw |
Ing his revolver. Ali at once he stopped, |
muttering to himself:
"Why should II 1t is not In self-defense. |
Dana may not be dead"
As 1t was, his brother was only stunned. |
But poor Roger had received a deep stab
from which it took him many long day 10 |
recover. Fairfax himself escaped without |
so much as scar. Nebbitt and Oxford dis. |
covered about their body several little
slashes and abrasures OF the skin-suspi- |
ciously like knife-cuts and bulletgrazes-
showing narrow escapes from death.